This tutorial will help you to understand the type of language permitted inside of a Mature rated story. If you wish to know more about the type of language allowed in 12+ or 15+ rated stories, please see the other profanity tutorials under the penname "Staff"

The following is a list of words considered appropriate for use in a story rated Mature. However, please keep in mind that the AMOUNT of profanity should also be taken into account when selecting proper ratings and warnings.

For reference, the Site Rules define “Mature” as:

Mature Teen -- Mature Audience Only:
This story is specifically designed to be read by a mature audience and therefore may be unsuitable for persons under 17. This story contains one or more of the following: intense non-graphic violence, explicit non-graphic sexual activity, or crude indecent language.

Please remember, Mature rated language is NEVER allowed in public areas of the site. This includes anywhere on the forums, in reviews, story/chapter titles, and story/chapter summaries.

If you have questions regarding your particular story, please contact the staff directly via the forums, email, or our trouble ticket system. Questions posted as reviews to this story will not be answered.

Mild Language

The warning "Mild Language" can apply to all stories posted on our archive. “Mild Language" does not apply to the amount of language in your story. Severe/strong obscenities must always be given the warning Strong Language, even in instances of only one.

The following words are acceptable in a story rated Mature with a warning for Mild Language (some of these words are also acceptable at lower ratings. Please refer to the other language tutorials for examples of words allowed at those ratings):
Darn: "Oh, darn! I forgot my Potions book in the common room. I'll be back in a minute."
Damn: "Damn it! - my pencil broke."
Hell: "Go to hell, Malfoy."

Bloody: "Bloody hell, Ron. Where did you get that?"
Bugger: "Bugger off, Fred."

Sod off: "I told him to sod off."
Ass/Asshole, Arse: "Don't be an ass, James." OR "Goyle couldn't find his own asshole with a map and a flashlight," Draco chortled.
Dick, Dickhead, Peckerhead (non-sexual context only): "Snape is a complete peckerhead and everyone knows it."
Piss Off: "Piss off, Granger."
Bastard: "I don't care what you think, Draco. You can be a right bastard at times!"

Prick (nonsexual): "Don't be such a prick, Ron. We haven't got that much homework."

Shag: "I heard Peeves caught the Head Boy and Girl shagging in the first floor broom closet!"

Effing, Fricking: "If I have to squeeze one more effing Bubotuber, I'm going to puke."
Bitch: "Pansy, I love watching you be a bitch to the Gryffindors," Blaze grinned.

Slut, Slag: It was rumored at Hogwarts that Pansy Parkinson was a slut, but only her roommates knew that she cried herself to sleep nightly over the terrible rumors and slanderous grafitti written on the washroom walls.

Whore: "I am not your whore, Lestrange!" Narcissa's eyes flashed with anger. "I am a pureblood witch of noble lineage and the wife of Lucius Malfoy, and you would do well to remember that."

Wanker/Tosser (non-sexual): "I really hate Draco," said Ron. "He's such a wanker."
Cherry (to be one): "I bet you all the gold in Gringotts that Granger is a cherry!

Twat (non-sexual context only): "I told you not to add so many Doxy eggs, you incompetent twat. Now I have to start the potion all over again."
Balls (non-sexual) "You have him by the balls now, Parvati. Just a few more days and he'll be begging you to go out with him." OR "If Snape ever comes near Lily again," James told Sirius, "I'll kick him in the balls to hard he won't be able to stand up straight for a week."

Strong Language

The warning "Strong Language" can only apply to stories rated 15+ or Mature. The strong language warning applies to all stories containing stories with language more severe in nature. The warning "Strong Language" can also apply to stories with excessive "less severe" obscenities.

The following words are ONLY acceptable in a story rated Mature with a warning for Strong Language.

Fuck: "Oh, fuck off, Malfoy." OR "Fuck, I forgot my books." OR "I really want to fuck her."
To wank, Masterbate: "I walked in and caught him wanking last night. It was so awful!"

Authors occasional select to include swear words that contain special characters (i.e., d@mn instead of damn), or to use abbreviations for phrases that contain swear words (i.e., WTH instead of “what the hell”). Such characters and abbreviations are accepted BUT the story they appear in must still be rated according to whatever the character or abbreviated words represents. For example, a story with the abbreviation WTH in it must still contain a warning for mild language, since the “H” stands for the word “hell,” which is a 12+ words that requires a Mild Language warning.

In addition to the words listed above and in the 12+ and 15+ versions of this tutorial, you will find that there are other words that are NEVER permitted within the confines of this site. Briefly, the list can be summed up as follows: